Historical Background & Development of Profession of Pharmacy
[Link] 1st Year - Classroom Hand Notes
Prepared for students as a quick reference and revision aid.
History of Pharmacy in India
- Ancient: Ayurveda, Charaka & Sushruta Samhitas
- Colonial: British introduced western medicines
- Post-Independence: Pharmacy Act 1948, PCI establishment
- Pharma industry growth: Cipla, Ranbaxy, Dr. Reddy's
- Pharmacy education expanded: Diploma, Degree, PG courses
- Professional organizations: IPA, APTI, PCI
Pharmacy as a Career
- Community & Hospital Pharmacy
- Industrial Pharmacy (Production, QA, R&D)
- Regulatory affairs
- Clinical research & pharmacovigilance
- Academics & government sector
Pharmacopoeias
- Official standard books for drug quality & purity
- Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) - IPC Ghaziabad
- British Pharmacopoeia (BP)
- United States Pharmacopoeia (USP)
- Extra Pharmacopoeia - Martindale
Dosage Forms
- Definition: Physical form in which drug is produced/administered
- Solid: Tablets, capsules, powders
- Liquid: Solutions, suspensions, emulsions
- Semi-solid: Ointments, creams, gels
- Parenteral: Injections
- Gaseous: Inhalers
Prescription
- Definition: Written order by a registered medical practitioner
- Parts: Date, patient details, Rx, drug details, instructions, signature
- Handling: Check legibility, verify dosage, avoid interactions
- Common errors: Wrong dose, wrong drug, illegible writing, omissions
Posology
- Definition: Science of drug dosage
- Factors: Age, sex, body weight, BSA, route, time, tolerance, interactions
- Pediatric dose formulas:
- Young's: (Age / (Age + 12)) x Adult dose
- Clark's: (Weight(lb) / 150) x Adult dose
- BSA: (BSA(m²) / 1.73) x Adult dose
Summary & Key Takeaways
- Pharmacy in India evolved from Ayurveda to modern industry
- Career opportunities are diverse in the pharmacy field
- Pharmacopoeias maintain global drug quality standards
- Dosage forms depend on route and patient needs
- Prescription handling prevents errors
- Posology ensures safe and effective dosing
